Two nurses accused of obstructing an immigration arrest at a surgery clinic in Ontario two weeks ago are now facing federal charges. One of the nurses was arrested Friday morning, according to federal officials.
In a viral video, Dennis Guillen is seen being detained by two Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents inside the Ontario Advanced Surgery Center. Nurses are heard asking for a warrant and preventing the agents from taking Guillen, who is undocumented.
When the incident occurred, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said that Guillen fled from agents inside the clinic and that the nurses tried to obstruct the arrest. Immigrant rights organizations countered their claims by sharing that the nurses were exercising their constitutional rights.
U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli reinforced those claims in a statement, saying agents tried to arrest Guillen when nurse Jose de Jesus Ortega blocked one by assaulting him. Another nurse, Danielle Davila, allegedly wedged herself between Guillen and the officer.
“This story is another example of a false narrative echoed in the media in furtherance of an agenda to delegitimize federal agents,” said Essayli. “The illegal alien arrested inside the surgery center was not a patient. He ran inside for cover and these defendants attempted to block his apprehension by assaulting our agents.”
My office has filed federal criminal charges against Jose de Jesus Ortega, 38, of Highland, and Danielle Nadine Davila, 33, of Corona, who are accused of assaulting and interfering with an ICE investigation earlier this month at a surgery center in San Bernardino County.
— U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) July 25, 2025
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Essayli said that if someone interferes in immigration operations, they’ll be charged with a federal crime. “It doesn’t matter who you are or where you work,” reads Essayli’s statement, “if you assault our agents or otherwise interfere with our operations, you will be arrested...”
Ortega was arrested Friday, while the search for Davila continues. Ortega’s family said that as of 11 a.m., he was being held in downtown Riverside, where he was scheduled to be arraigned in federal court.
His niece, Synai Alas, told KVCR outside of the Ontario Advanced Surgery Center on Friday that Ortega was not violent and acted to protect Guillen’s rights.
“He’s not a criminal. He’s not someone who goes out looking for trouble or causing trouble,” said Alas. “I just want them to keep that in mind.”
Tensions are escalating in Ontario as immigrant rights activists, residents and local officials clash over a rise in immigration enforcement. Following Mayor Paul Leon’s controversial remarks about ICE and the arrest of Dennis Guillen, some community members are calling for greater transparency from the Ontario Police Department and city council.
Advocates argue the federal charges against Jose Ortega and Danielle Davila are acts of retaliation and pose a serious threat to civil liberties.
“This is political retaliation carried out with the intent to silence a U.S. citizen and intimidate anyone who dares to exercise their constitutional rights,” said Lizbeth Castillejos Abeln, deputy director with the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice.
